Cover lock for book match packages



Ailg. 15, 1961 T, w

COVER LOCK FOR BOOK MATCH PACKAGES Filed Aug. 26, 1959 INVENTOR. TH EODORE WILL A TTO/P/VEV United States Patent 2,996,174 COVER LOCK FOR BOOK MATCH PACKAGES Theodore Will, Syosset, N.Y., assignor to Fund-Del Inc., Syosset, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 836,239 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-29) This invention relates to a safety cover lock for book matches and similar packages.

According to the invention there is provided an openended tubular shroud having a tapered form adapted to be slipped upon the tapered body of a book of matches or the like for holding the cover closed, for providing increased protection against moisture, match breakage, etc. If the usual cover of the matchbook is torn off, the device embodying the invention alone may be used to protect the matches.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a safety cover lock for a package.

It is another object to provide a tubular band having a tapered form for protecting a book of matches or the like.

It is another object to provide a cover lock which may be fabricated from a flat rectangular blank of sheet material.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a safety cover embodying the invention mounted on a matchbook.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the cover and matchbook of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the safety cover per se.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank sheet adapted for forming the safety cover.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1 of another safety cover and matchbook.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the safety cover of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 5 showing the safety cover on a matchbook with torn cover.

FIG. 8 is a sectional View taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another form of safety cover.

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view similar to FIG. 2 showing the safety cover of FIG. 9 on a matchbook.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a safety cover 20 having the form of a tube with opposite open ends. The cover has a tapered form with narrow lower end 22 and wider upper end 24. The cover is adapted to be slipped upwardly upon the tapered body of a matchbook 25. This matchbook has the usual double sheet of matches 26 secured together by a staple 28 within a trough formed by an upturned flap 30 integrally formed with a back panel 32. The flap 30 carries a stripe of match striking material 34. A front panel 36 integrally formed with the back panel fits snugly in between the flap 30 and the adjacent sheet of matches. The cover 20 snugly engages the front and back panels and may be fitted into the flap 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in front of the lower edge of the front panel 36. If desired, an inscription I such as instructions for use, or other subject matter be marked on the safety cover. Cover 20 prevents inadvertent opening of the front panel to expose the matches to accidental breakage, moisture etc.

FIG. 4 shows a blank sheet 40 which may be used in fabricating the cover 20. This sheet may be made of paper, plastic, metal foil or other sheet material. The

sheet will be folded on lines A, B, C and D to form front panel 21, back panel sections 23*, 23 and end panels 27*, 27 of the cover 20. Lines A and D are angularly disposed to the opposite long edges 29, 31 of the sheet. This causes the sheet to assume a tapered tubular form when folded. One lateral edge 35 of the sheet may be coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive 33 for adhering to the opposite edge 37 and holding the sheet in tubular form as indicated in FIGS. 1-3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate another form of the invention in which cover 20 is in the form of an endless tapered narrow band which is slidably mountable on the matchbook 25* to hold the front panel 36 securely closed. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a further use of the cover 20. Here the front panel of the matchbook has been torn off leaving only the rear panel 32. The band 20* is slidable upwards to cover the heads 2( of matches 26 to protect them. When it is desired to extract a match, the band will be moved down to flap 30 and the match will be extracted; then the band can be moved upwardly back into place to protect the match heads.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is shown a safety lock cover 20 which consists of a flexible body of plastic, metal, or the like formed with a flat rectangular wall 42 and a forward wall 44 having a lower outwardly curved edge 46. The curved upper edge 48 of the cover is flexible and acts to press the edge 46 against the back wall 42. This cover can he slipped on and over a matchbook 25 as shown in FIG. 10 to reinforce and protect the usual paper cover P. If the cover P is partially or wholly torn off from the sheets of matches 26, the cover 20 will fully protect the matches to the same extent as the cover 20. The cover 20 can easily he slipped off the matches against tension of the spring bias of Wall 44 against wall 42 to expose the package 25 for use.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A combined match book folder and cover lock, corm prising a wedge-shaped match book including an elongated strip of flexible sheet material folded to provide a front cover panel, a rear cover panel, and a top cover panel integral with the top edge of the front and rear cover panels for spacing said front and rear cover panels apart, a flap at the bottom end of the rear cover panel, a plurality of matches between the flap and rear cover panel and having common bases secured therebetween, said front and rear cover panels being imperforate, a striking element along the outside surface of said flap, said front cover panel being adapted to be tucked removably behind said flap, said front cover planel in folded condition forming a complete inner cover for the matches; and an outer safety cover lock in the form of an endless band extending around said match book, said band having opposite open ends and being slidably disposed on the book, said band being wedge-shaped in cross section to lock on the match book in an intermediate position between opposite ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 625,805 Reibestein May 30, 1899 1,749,019 Clarke Mar. 4, 1930 2,235,739 Fancher Mar. 18, 1941 2,845,172 Fridolph July 29, 1958 

